Annotated chess game: The Bird (Defense) soars

ANNOTATED GAME

The Bird (Defense) soars
Tudev Ujtumen (IM) vs. Anatoly Lein (IM)
Annotated by: last_archimedean

(1564)
Chess opening: Ruy Lopez (C61), Bird's defence, Paulsen variation

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This game was played in a tournament in Moscow, back in 1961. All annotations below are by Andy Soltis.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. O-O c6 6. Bc4 d6 7. Re1 Nf6 8. c3 Ng4 9. h3 Ne5	Up to now, this is the Main Line of Bird's Defense. All these moves are book.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 29-May-14: The Bird Defence of the Ruy Lopez is a ... erm ... rare bird indeed. I think some comment is due to the move 8...Ng4, and why White chooses to chase the knight off rather than grab the d-pawn (9.cxd4? Qh4).


10. Bf1	Threatening to take over the center [10... PxP 11 NPxP, followed by 12 P-Q4.]



10... d3	If White tries 11 R-K3 trapping the QP, Black plays 11... P-KN4! 12 RxP P-N5 with strong pressure.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 29-May-14: Observe how unusual developments permit such eccentric lines.


11. f4 Qb6+	Taking immediate advantage of the newly open diagonal.



12. Kh1	Natural, but 12 K-R2! was better.



12... h5 13. fxe5 Bg4	This Bishop is taboo [14 PxB??? PxP mate.]
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 29-May-14: This kind of thing closely resembles an Alapin Counter-Gambit, which arises from the Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation.


14. Qb3 Qf2 15. Qxb7	There is no better option [15 R-Q1 is answered by either 15... B-Q7 or 15... BxR].
	2 comments stalhandske (2251) on 29-May-14: I disagree. 15. Rd1 is the correct move. Qxb7 loses the match. If 15. Rd1 Bd7 16. Qxb7 wins, if instead 15....BxR 16. Qxd1 and white is ahead. archduke_piccolo (2337) on 29-May-14: I'm inclined to think that after 15.Rd1 Bxd1 16.Qxd1 dxe5 17.Bxd3 0-0-0 White still has, in the teeth of a fierce attack, to unravel his Q-side. Be that as it may, it seems that 15.Rd1 Be2!? is good for a draw at least - e.g. 16.Qxb7 Bxf1 17.Qc6ch Ke7 18.exd6ch ... (18.Qxd6ch draws) 18...Ke6! 19.Qd5ch Kd7 etc.


15... Rd8 16. Rd1	To divert the B.



16... Bxd1 17. Qxc6+	Now Black can't interpose the B.



17... Ke7 18. Qc7+ Rd7 19. exd6+ Kf6	The Rook cannot be taken [20 QxR QxB ch 21 K-R2 Q-B5 ch 22 K-N1 BxP! 23 Q-B5 ch QxQ 24 PxQ B-N6!!! and White has no defense against 25... R-K1 and 26... R-K8 mate.]
	2 comments stalhandske (2251) on 29-May-14: 17..... Ke7 actually equalises the position! Black's best move is 17...Rd7! However, white does not take advantage of this (by playing 18. Bxd3), but plays 18. Qc7+?. archduke_piccolo (2337) on 31-May-14: After some initial doubts, I have to come around to stalhandske's view. There is an unexpected move in the mix that has a bearing on both lines. After 17...Rd7 18.Bxd3 Bf3! (19.gxf3 Qxf3 20.Kh2 Qxd3), Black preserves an edge. After 17...Ke7?! 18.Bxd3 Bf3! is just good enough to draw the game: 19.exd6ch Rxd6 20.Qc7ch Rd7 21.Qe5ch Kd8 22.Qb8ch and a repetition.


20. e5+ Kxe5 21. Qxd7 Qxf1+ 22. Kh2 Bxd6	Threatening a deadly discovered check.



23. c4 Qf4+ 24. Kh1 Kf6	White resigns, as he must now lose either the Queen or the King.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 31-May-14: Nor would 24.Kg1 have helped: 24...Bc5ch 25.kh1 Qf1ch 26.Kh2 Qg1ch (though 26...Bg1ch also leads to a forced checkmate, special circumstances lead to preferring the Queen check) 27.Kg3 Bf2#. A real Wild West sort of game: very entertaining.